The students who set us all an example Executive Headteacher Simon Elliott says our students are already making an important contribution to their community and society... years of teaching. He is a young man with maturity well beyond his years. His is a challenging circumstance yet he arrives at school every day polite, with a smile on his face and ready to learn. As part of the student council, he makes a valuable contribution to his school. But it is his actions outside the school gates in caring for his mother that make him a true role model for young people everywhere.
I would also like to make mention of our students who have graduated from the Football for Peace programme. It has been impossible to miss the social issues that continue to present a very serious challenge for the young people in this part of London. These students are setting their peers and all of us an example that to tackle a problem, you must be prepared to engage and contribute. An important message at this time of year. Merry Christmas!
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You have heard me talk on many occasions about the academic success we have had as a school in recent years. For a school that was by anyone’s estimation failing just six years ago, it is a remarkable achievement to be once again ranked among the country’s elite. However, this term I want to mark the incredible contribution our students are making within their own communities and beyond. Ilyan Benamor is without doubt one of the most remarkable young men I have encountered in all my
Speakers impressed by budding reporters OUR pupils have won praise from an awardwinning journalist and a Lords peer following talks organised by Speakers for Schools. Broadcaster Robin Lustig and Lib Dem peer Tim Clement-Jones talked about their careers and topical issues during separate visits this term. Ex-BBC and Observer journalist Mr Lustig described our pupils as “hugely impressive”, while Lord Clement-Jones said they were “truly fantastic”. Mr Lustig talked about the impact on journalism of fake news and social media and took questions on journalistic ethics and censorship. Lord Clement-Jones discussed Brexit, the NHS and Donald Trump and took questions on democracy and accountability of the Lords. On Lord Clement-Jones’s visit, student Zahara Jones said: “I was really interested to learn about the Lords and his thoughts on artificial intelligence. “It is something that I am also interested in, so to hear what he had to say was really insightful.” On Mr Lustig’s visit, student Islam Ilyas said: “There is so much information out there at the moment and it is hard to know what to believe. “Having someone like Robin talk to us and explain how journalism works really gave us an understanding of how to separate the truth from a lie.” “It is a great privilege to be able to hear from someone like Robin. He has interviewed Nelson Mandela – that is how high-profile he is.” Lead Practitioner Mr Bispham said: “Both talks were fascinating for the students involved but it was the Q&A sessions
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Influential: Lord Clement-Jones meets students after discussing Brexit (left) while broadcaster and journalist Robin Lustig (right) spoke about his career
where the speakers were impressed by the high quality and challenging questions our students asked. “A range of topics from fake news
and Brexit to artificial intelligence and beginning a career in journalism were discussed, demonstrating the sheer breadth of knowledge students at our school have.”
‘Wonderful to see in students so young’ n ROBIN Lustig praised the depth of research that had gone into the questions, likening them to that of an experienced journalist. He said: “The students at this school are hugely impressive. There was a depth of research that had clearly gone into the questions posed by the students. “They were the sort of questions that you would expect experienced journalists to ask, really excellent. In this modern era, with children growing up with the internet, giving young people the tools to distinguish between fact and fiction is vitally important.”
n Lord Clement Jones was impressed by the diverse and broad range of questions from our students. He said: “They were truly fantastic. Such a wonderfully diverse and broad range of questions, very impressive. “They were also extremely engaged and clearly had an interest in politics. “It is wonderful to see in students so young. “Given their age, what was most impressive was they were able to take topical issues and relate it to their own experiences.”
Forest Gate Community School newsletter n Winter 2018